It's autumn already. The outside temperature went down by a lot and there's no denying, the garden season is over. It's time to go back to indoor activities. In my case this means working on my new N-scale layout inside a coffee table.
I haven't made much progress so far on this project, but this is going to change now. I've decided the first step would be to finalize my DCC wiring. In particular - I want all my turnouts to be controlled digitally. Previously I would use Digitrax DS64 decoders for that purpose but my experience with those was not good at all. So this time I'm giving Piko decoder a try. And since my new layout will be driven by a Trix central station, some validation of the setup is needed.
Today I'm going to check the compatibility between Trix 66955 mobile station and the Piko 35013 switch decoder. This is going to be similar to my previous tests involving Roco z21.
My first test involves the mobile station, the decoder and a dummy target. This target is just an electrical circuit featuring some LEDs and resistors. I do not want to use the real turnouts right away, since they draw a lot of power and I'm just testing digital compatibility here.
The results are very promising - by invoking functions on the Trix device I'm able to light up all of my LEDs. All four outputs work and their polarization is correct. The digital compatibility is confirmed.
Let's try with some real turnouts now. The challenge here is with the electrical current that is required to flip the switches. Digitrax DS64 decoder features a big capacitor that is discharged whenever an action is needed. This in turn ensures a short but large electrical current.
Piko 35013 is different. It simply takes the power directly from the main DCC signal. Will the Trix mobile station provide enough current the re-route the turnout? Let's see...
I'm going all the way, and I'm connecting two Kato N-scale turnouts to one output of the decoder. This basically means I will use double the power that is normally required. I press the button and... it works!
Yes, the Trix mobile station was able to provide enough of a charge. This device is rated 1.9A, so - from an electrical standpoint - it was actually expected to work, as each turnout is a 20Ohm load. Well, I'm certainly glad it did!
Here's a short video documenting my test:
One thing that I struggled with previously during my Roco z21 compatibility tests was the "LED constant output" mode of the Piko 35013 decoder. I could not make it work at all. I assumed the Roco central station had a difficulty programming the decoder, and I hoped this functionality could still be enabled with a controller from a different manufacturer.
Unfortunately I have to report that the mentioned mode does not work with the Trix mobile station, either. The Trix unit does not seem to have any difficulty programming the decoder, so I'm pretty confident I'm enabling the "LED constant output" mode correctly. But it still does not work and I do not know why. Perhaps it's implemented in a non-standard way and will operate only when triggered from a Piko DCC station.
But overall the tests are still a success. Piko 35013 can be used for N-scale turnouts and it can be driven from a Trix mobile station. This will be my solution for the coffee table layout. And I'm very happy I do not have to deal with any Digitrax equipment anymore... :)
I'm trying to grow my collection of trains without spending a fortune. I can't really say I'm very successful at that, but I definitely wait for good moments before making new purchases. That's how I got a new American freight car, which - by the way - is a twin brother of a model I reviewed previously. Piko 38835 is almost the same as Piko 38847, so in this article I'll focus only on the differences and new findings.
The main distinction between the two products is of course the livery. Previously I got a Southern Pacific version, and this here is Santa Fe. That implies these two should not really go on one train, but I think I'll just ignore this fact.
When I was opening my first Piko hopper car, I've encountered some issues with unfolding the cardboard frame. To my surprise, this time there was no issue at all, even though the packaging is identical.
Since it got out so easily, let's take a loot at some photos.
It is definitely the very same piece of rolling stock as Piko 38847. The logos and labels are of course different, but everything else is a perfect match. The small size, the shortage of sophisticated details, the lack of interactive features, the solid feel - it's all still here.
I have noticed however something new. As it turns out, the roof can be removed on this model and it can be transformed into an open hopper car. That's actually pretty cool and it definitely adds some value. It is however not specific to Piko 38835, as the twin product also offers this functionality and I have simply failed to notice it before.
The two cars look pretty good together. Perhaps those models are indeed a good and cheap way to assemble a longer American freight train? We will see if the future "special offers" take me into this direction :)
The product I'm going to write about today is definitely the deal of the year. For less than 300 Euro, Trix has decided to provide us with a complete digital starter pack. And it not only includes a train, a set of track and a central station. It also features a locomotive equipped with a sound module. Yes, finally an N-scale starter set with sound. This is Trix 11140.
For me the main reason to buy this item was its DCC central station. I needed one more controller for my coffee table layout and - being a long-time Fleischmann/Roco user - I decided to give the competition a chance this time. Trix 11140 was the most economical way to get it (considering all the extra stuff I got).
Let's take a look at the product. The side of the packaging shows all the basic information about the set. It is digital, it features sound effects, the locomotive offers white headlights and red taillights, and so on... and so on...
Another picture shows the content I'm going to find inside: a passenger train, a digital controller kit, an oval track set...
...and a bus model. A bus model? Interesting...
Let's open it already. Here's what was revealed to me right after lifting the lid of the box.
The product comes with a lot of documentation. Even the AC adapter gets its own small booklet.
The most interesting one is of course the locomotive description. Here we can learn that the model features an impressive number of 28 DCC functions.
There's also a guidebook included which attempts to describe the most important aspects of our hobby. I have not read it, yet, but I must say it does look promising. It might actually be useful for someone just starting his/her adventure with the trains.
The central station's manual is written very clearly with a lot of pictures and screenshots. For some reason I got two French copies of the text, and not a single English one. Well, I can't say I really care - it's all available online anyway.
This is what the content of the box looks like once I removed all the books and leaflets.
For me the most interesting part of the set is the digital controller kit. It consists of three elements: Trix 66955 mobile station (the controller), a connector box and a power supply.
Let's power it up. "Keine Lok" is the welcome message - obviously the device is not configured, yet.
This is where it gets interesting. Included with the set is a chip card containing information about the featured locomotive.
Once you slide the card into the mobile station, the data is read and the controller immediately becomes ready for operation. The DCC functions are configured automatically and the relevant icons show up on the screen. The programmed engine's image does not really resemble the model at all, but luckily it's something that can be changed manually.
What worries me more is the limitation of the controller. It seems to be able to access only the first 16 DCC functions of the decoder. So while the locomotive features more, I won't be able to use them all. That's a little concerning...
The language used on the mobile station can be changed easily. And a nice surprise here - it even features Polish!
My overall feeling about the Trix digital station is the following: it is simple, it is comparable to Roco Multimaus, but is definitely less than Roco z21. All in all, it should be fully sufficient for my coffee table layout.
But enough about the mobile station. At the very bottom of the box I found this little bag. I'm not sure what the content really is, but those strips look like power pick-ups for the passenger cars. I'll investigate it later...
Let's take a look at the locomotive now. It comes separately packaged...
...and again the side of the box lists all the main features.
Here's the model itself. It's a BR146.2 electric engine in red Deutsche Bahn livery.
It definitely looks simple with very few significant details, and almost no separately applied parts.
The pantographs however can be raised...
...and if you look closely, you'll notice it is very nicely painted indeed. It's definitely a budget model, but it will do very well inside my coffee table :)
Let's move onto the passenger cars...
The first impression - they feel light. And of course in this hobby "light" means "cheap". But did we expect more?
They don't look bad though, they're nicely painted and even feature some interior details.
But in the end the quality could be better. In my case, the roof on one of the cars was not even properly attached to the body. I'll have to fix it somehow...
Obviously they don't come "interior lighting ready". But those wheels look like they would accommodate the metal strips mentioned above really well.
OK, it's time for the last element - the bus model.
This one feels really cheap. It's very, very light and it's made purely of plastic. Still, it does look reasonably well and can definitely be used on a layout. Considering it's a free extra - I like it!
And a surprise. This little bus model can be customized! If you disapprove the wheels in a straight position, you can replace an axle and the wheels' angle will change. That's cool!
The set features a selection of track pieces, which I will not be describing. My coffee table layout is going to use Kato Unitrack anyway, so the elements from the Trix package are staying inside the box. Maybe one day I will find some use for them.
Alright, as always - let's take a look at the digital performance of the locomotive. Here's a short video I created:
Well, the DCC functions on this model are not bad at all. They are actually on par with the fully priced engines. That's a very nice surprise!
Summary
Trix 11140 starter set is definitely some sort of a compromise. The locomotive is simple, the quality of the cars is not what we're used to, and the bus model is just a toy. But we have to remember that we get all of that - plus the digital controller, plus the sound functions, plus a set of track - at a cost of a single regular engine. So it is still an amazing deal, and a great way to make a start in the hobby.
While I can't suggest purchasing this set to people who expect perfection and care about every single detail, I can definitely recommend it as a cost-effective way to begin your adventure with trains. Or - as in my case - a way to get a controller and an extra locomotive that can be run by your family members or guests without causing you much of a headache.
When I shop for models of trains online, I often run into a situation where I need to add something extra to my cart to qualify for free shipping. Sometimes it's a good moment to buy something I always wanted to have but hesitated. But sometimes there's just nothing like that, and I end up with a product that is only potentially useful. That's exactly how I got this little kit...
The item is Faller 232509 and it's a plastic model of a gas tank. There are two reasons why I picked this item. One is of course the price which was exactly what I needed. The second reason is the fact that the product was not a model of a house. Not being a model of a house could potentially mean its assembly will provide an interesting experience.
The back of the box features some relevant information about the miniature. For example - its dimensions are 106 x 66 x 68 mm.
Let's open it and... there really isn't much inside. It's only 22 elements after all. And obviously no glue. Well, I should not have expected more from a 6 Euro product.
Not many parts but we do get a very nice baseplate.
We also get a small set of decals. Interestingly, we can choose one of four oil companies when labeling the tank.
The instructions are short but precise - exactly what we need.
The build is very short. Combining 22 pieces takes less than one hour. And the outcome is a rather small, but quite interesting looking model.
The tank itself looks really good. It is pretty detailed considering the small number of elements. I really like it.
The small hut (or a shed) is just four walls and a roof. Nothing really worth describing. But the last element, which is supposedly a black lamp post, is definitely a part that needs a better replacement. Adding a real light source there will make the the entire scene much more interesting in the future.
I think the kit will fit nicely on my new coffee-table layout. Useful after all :)
